Here you can listen to and download stories and other audio material (mp3) in East Cree. You can also select them and download them to put on a CD to share with your class. We ask that you do not transcribe, translate or reproduce these stories without prior permission from the Cree School Board.

Page 4 of 4, showing 9 records out of 69 total, starting on record 61, ending on 69

Samson recalls the year he first got married. Samson, his wife his father and a young man and a girl traveled together. They traveled inland by canoe. As they sailed, he killed 3 bears. They reached his brother-in-law at Patukami Lake. That was the last year his brother-in-law was alive. They caught many fish during the spawning time. Caribou was becoming scarce. That winter, food became scarce. Samson and his brother-in-law had a chance to kill caribou but the caribou ran away. His brother-in-law seemed to know that he would die soon. One time during a blizzard, his brother-in-law left to go hunting, he fell into the river during the winter. His body could not be found.

This is the legend of Kuikuhaachaau and Waaniyuuyaau. Kuikuhaachaau warns his siblings that Waaniyuuyaau was near and not to cross his path. But Sikusaapaau accidentally touches Waaniyuuyaau`s path. Waaniyuuyaau goes after Kuikuhaachaau and his family. Waaniyuuyaau transforms into a giant skunk to kill his victims. Kuikuhaachaau transforms into the wolverine and attacks Waaniyuuyaau. Kuikuhaachaau and his family kill Waaniyuuyaau but Kuikuhaachaau gets some of awful stench on his face. His head is wrapped and he goes towards the sea to wash himself. After washing himself in the sea, Kuikuhaachaau finds some family members living with Minituu. Minituu is very selfish and doesn`t share. Minituu and Kuikuhaachaau don`t get along and Minituu tries to kill Kuikuhaachaau unsuccessfully. The legend is abruptly cut due to the length of the tape.

Samson tells the story of the starvation of the Washipabano family. Thomas Washipabano and his wife had 6 sons, three of them married. They had around 10 grandchildren. The entire family had died from starvation out in the bush. When they didn`t return to Fort George for the summer, the people knew that they had starved to death that winter. The camp with the bodies was discovered. Samson mentions several other incidents of people starving to death, and about hunters not returning from the hunt due to starvation. He also mentions that he had experienced hunger himself and his body becoming gaunt.

A man was very cruel. His son-in-law is determined to get back at him. The father-in-law and son-in-law watch a game of ball. As the game goes on, the father-in-law`s team does not score. He gets angry and tries to hurt the young man`s brothers. But the young man protects his brothers with his power. As the camp separates to hunt in different areas for the winter, the father-in-law tries to put a curse on the young man but the young man returns it. As the winter progresses, the bad father-in-law`s camp becomes hungry and starts cannibalizing on the other camp members. In the spring, the young man and his brothers hear the cannibal coming for them. As the young men paddle, the cannibal swims after them but they kill him in the water by spearing him.

Samson tells a story of long ago. Inuit had killed the store manager at Little Whale River and stole the supplies there. Natives from the south, probably from Moose Factory used to come up the coast to kill Inuit because of what happened in Little Whale River. They also killed the Cree from that area also. A group of Cree camped at the south side of Whapmagoostui. Two boats of raiders came from the south with black flags. This meant there were coming to fight. As the raiders beached their boats, two elders ran down to meet them. Before the raiders could fight, the elders kicked them back. The fight was stopped. As the raiders camped on the other side of the river, they sent a flying killing amulet to the other side. An elder got hit by it but was able to survive. The Cree returned the same flying killing amulet and killed the leader of the raiders. The raiders fled.

Samson recalls a time when a child starved to death. That year, they knew they would have a very hard time because food was scarce. There were many of them at one camp. After killing a porcupine, a few ptarmigan and some fish, they were able to travel. The camp split up. They tracked some caribou and killed 3 caribou. Samson went to tell the other camp to come. As he follows their trail, he notices that they`re having a hard time. A hunter had collapsed from hunger and was dragged home on the toboggan. When he reached the camp, a child had died. After moving away, Samson kills 3 caribou and they did better. While hunting, they see tracks of people from Nitchequon. As they follow the tracks, they see a boy who was mute checking fish hooks on the ice. The boy points to the camp. Samson and his brother visit the camp for a few days. When they leave the camp, a few hunters accompany them to visit their camp.

The man named Ukaahkaachiwaasiu lives in a camp with others. A group of enemies are near by and the two groups agree to live together in peace. But Ukaahkaachiwaasiu lusts after the wife of the leader of the enemies. As the two groups make camp, Ukaahkaachiwaasiu takes the woman and kills the husband. After the incident, fighting breaks out between the two groups.

The legend of two brothers, Waayaashkushaapiyishiu and Kuyikuyaatush. The two brothers kill the young of Nituyaash. Nituyaash is a monstrous creature that eats caribou whole. The adult Nituyaash are after the two brothers. The two brothers follow a trail and find that Nituyaash has been following the group of people. Nituyaash went off the path near the camp to attack at night. The two brothers prepare for the fight and the Nituyaash is killed. Another incident where another Nituyaash attacks their camp but is killed by clubbing it over the head. The last story is about how the Nituyaash finally are able to kill the two brothers Waayaashkushaapiyishiu and Kuyikuyaatush.

Part 1 - This is a legend about how it became summer, winter, fall and spring. The characters begin with summer animals and how the summer bird got stolen. Then they find their summer bird that the other seasonal animals had taken. They decide to split the summer bird so that the seasons change.

Part 2 - The story of Chikaapash and how he took a beaver that he wasn`t suppose to.